Cannabis Public School, SFVA
POSTER PRESENTER
MEDICINE
This abstract presents a new approach to improve discussions between Veterans and Providers regarding veterans' cannabis use for pain and cancer. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive 1315 encourages veterans to talk about cannabis use with their VA providers and for providers to document these conversations. However, there are significant barriers to these discussions and subsequent documentation, particularly regarding the positive outcomes that veterans are reporting outside the VA. Research indicates a lack of cannabis education among VA healthcare providers and their tendency to avoid the topic. To address these gaps, I propose implementing game-based learning and short presentations for VA providers. This will help them feel more at ease when engaging in more nuanced discussions about how veterans' medical cannabis use may impact their care plans, and enable them to document accordingly. In all honesty, no matter how much research highlights the effectiveness of cannabis for various ailments, if most providers still shy away from embracing new trends, progress will be limited. This approach acknowledges this reality.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the barriers to transparent discussions on veteran cannabis use in the Veteran-Provider setting
- Foster a practice change that aligns clinical conversations on veteran cannabis use with current research and trends
- Explore the potential of game-based learning and short presentations